Bursary and student funding glossary
Short, plain-language explanations of the terms you will see on bursary adverts, application forms and funding contracts.
A
- Academic exclusion
- Academic exclusion happens when a university stops a student from continuing a programme because they did not meet its minimum progression rules, such as passing enough credits. It usually also affects funding, since most bursaries require you to stay registered and in good academic standing. Many institutions have an appeal process with strict deadlines.
- APS (Admission Point Score)
- APS is a number universities use to compare matric results. Each subject percentage is converted to points (for example 80-100% earns 7 points) and the best subjects are added together. Each university sets its own rules, so always confirm how your chosen institution calculates it.
B
- Bursary
- A bursary is funding for your studies that you do not pay back in cash, usually awarded on financial need, academic results or a field the funder needs. Many company bursaries come with conditions, such as keeping a minimum average or working for the funder after you graduate.
C
- Conditional offer
- A conditional offer is a place at a university or a bursary award that only becomes final once you meet stated conditions, most often your final matric results. If your results fall short of the conditions, the offer can be withdrawn, so read the conditions carefully.
- Cost of study
- Cost of study is the full amount needed to complete a year of study, including tuition, registration, accommodation, meals, transport, books and a device. Funders cover different parts of this cost, so compare what each bursary actually pays for, not only the headline amount.
F
- Funza Lushaka
- Funza Lushaka is a government bursary for students training to become teachers in priority subjects and phases. Recipients are expected to teach at a public school for the same number of years they were funded. Applications are made through the official Funza Lushaka portal.
H
- Household income threshold
- A household income threshold is the maximum combined yearly income your household may earn to qualify for need-based funding. NSFAS, for example, publishes its own threshold each cycle. Check the current figure on the funder's official site, because thresholds can change.
M
- Means test
- A means test is the check a funder uses to confirm your household's financial situation, usually by looking at income documents, ID numbers and sometimes government records. It decides whether you qualify for need-based funding and sometimes how much you receive.
- Means-tested funding
- Means-tested funding is support awarded based on financial need rather than only marks. Applicants must pass a means test showing their household earns below a set level. NSFAS is the best-known example in South Africa.
N
- NSFAS
- NSFAS is the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, government funding for qualifying students from low-income households at public universities and TVET colleges. It can cover tuition, accommodation and allowances. Applications are made only on the official NSFAS website.
S
- Scholarship
- A scholarship is funding awarded mainly for achievement, such as academic results, leadership or sport, and is usually not paid back. Some scholarships also consider financial need. They often have fewer work-back conditions than company bursaries.
- Study loan
- A study loan is money borrowed from a bank or lender to pay for your studies, which you must repay with interest, usually after you finish. It can fill gaps that bursaries do not cover, but compare interest rates and repayment terms first.
T
- TVET college
- A TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) college is a public college offering practical, career-focused qualifications such as NC(V) and N1-N6 programmes. Qualifying TVET students can apply for NSFAS funding.
W
- Work-back period (Bonding)
- A work-back period, also called bonding, is a condition in many company and government bursaries requiring you to work for the funder for a set time after graduating, often one year for each year funded. If you leave early you may have to repay part of the bursary. Read the contract before signing.
Want more detail? Browse the resource centre or estimate your score with the APS calculator.